Citizen Participation, Social Innovation, and the Governance of Local Government Service Delivery: Findings from South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-241
Author(s):  
Maréve Inge Madlyn Biljohn ◽  
Liezel Lues
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Government Service

Social innovation and service delivery in Belgium and South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maréve Inge Biljohn ◽  
Liezel Lues
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
South African ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Value Proposition ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Sector Service ◽  
Sector Service

Purpose Social innovation (SI) remains a latent area in the South African local government (LG) sphere despite its growing use in public-sector service delivery globally. This paper aims to investigate the use of SI in the service delivery of LG through a comparison between the City of Ghent (CoG) (Belgium) and the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality (MMM) (South Africa). Design/methodology/approach Through a comparative case study approach, qualitative research methods were used to both collect and analyze the data. Data collection instruments included document analysis (naturally occurring data), semi-structured interviews (generated data) and focus group discussions (generated data). Findings Although LG is obliged to collaborate with citizens, various factors influence citizens’ ability to make contributions, even when platforms are created. Collaborative initiatives aid in the realization of collective development visions and enhance citizen participation in a more responsive and inclusive approach to service delivery. Collaborations would require citizens and LG officials to be empowered by finding new ways of working together, as well as developing skills. Practical implications Citizens’ participation when SI is used to enhance service delivery should be meticulously planned. Co-producing services require a conducive internal organizational context that advances citizen participation in the governance and decision-making of service delivery, which is likewise optimal for enhancing the use of SI during the respective co-production service delivery stages. Achieving a conducive internal organizational context is influenced by the role of LG officials and politicians in understanding the value proposition of participation in service delivery to citizens. This value proposition is crucial to building and establishing a trust relationship between citizens, LG officials and politicians. Finally, consensus concerning the concept of SI and its use and implementation is important to ensure its consistent use and application by a municipality, and thus calls for further in-depth investigation. Originality/value SI is a nascent area for which the discourse is still under development, and it is a concept that is often the subject of debate in literature. This paper is justified by the fact that the use of SI in the South African LG sphere lags behind the growing use thereof in public-sector service delivery by LGs globally. In addition, the study presents novel insights regarding similarities and differences in the use of SI through a comparison between two LGs, namely, the MMM and the CoG.

scholarly journals Local Governance Service Delivery Issues during Apartheid and Post-apartheid South Africa

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. L. Sithole ◽  
Ntsako S. Mathonsi
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Government Service ◽  
Media Companies ◽  
African Context

The debate on service delivery and governance takes a centre stage across disciplines, schools of thought, countries, and in all platforms where people are able to raise their views othe two subjects. According to scholars and analysts, service delivery and <br />governance are closely related, and in many forms of government, service delivery occurs at the lower sphere which is the sphere closer to communities. TheSouth African context can serve as an exact scenario of this model. This makes local government to be a very important subject on matters of service delivery. South Africa has an interesting history that makes scholars, analysts, commentaries, and media companies worldwide to always keep a close eye on what happens in the country. This becomes clear from the analysis which makes the country to be theorised as a colonisation of a special type. It therefore becomes inevitable to consider the antecedents that shaped the manner in which governance and service delivery were mapped out in South Africa. This paper serves as analysis of local government and service delivery both in apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa.

Exploring the Uncharted Territory of Devolution in Zimbabwe

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jephias Mapuva ◽  
George P Miti
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Public Affairs ◽  
Participatory Governance ◽  
Enabling Environment ◽  
Efficiency And Effectiveness ◽  
Local Levels

Devolution, which was incorporated into the Constitution of Zimbabwe through section 264, is a new phenomenon in Zimbabwe. This incorporation came about because of the need for participatory governance and the devolution of power away from the centre. Over the years, local governance has been informed by a plethora of pieces of legislation that do not provide an enabling environment for citizen participation, giving Zimbabwe’s local government a chequered history that excludes citizens from participating in public affairs that affect their lives. An analysis of section 264 of the Constitution revealed that devolution has the propensity to enhance transparency, efficiency and effectiveness as well as the fulfilment of central government’s responsibilities at provincial and local levels. This article argues that the belated implementation of the devolution of power has delayed improved service delivery, effectiveness, efficiency and accountability within local governance. This article further seeks to explain how the implementation of section 264 of the Constitution can bring about good local governance.

Political-Administrative Interface at the Local Sphere of Government with Particular Reference to South Africa

2017 ◽  
pp. 242-255
Author(s):  
Purshottama Sivanarain Reddy
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
National Development ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Transformation ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Government Legislation

The ongoing political-administrative dichotomy discourse, which is steeped in public administration history, manifests in uncertainty about how the relationship between politicians and administrative officials should be structured. South Africa was democratized in 1994 and local government has subsequently undergone a fundamental socio-political transformation. “World class” local government legislation, with an entrenched constitutional development mandate, was introduced; however, the large numbers of public protests bear ample testimony to major challenges in basic service delivery. A critical issue impacting negatively on the functionality of the post-1994 local government dispensation is the political-administrative interface. The National Development Plan has mapped out a socio-economic vision to 2030, with stabilization of the political-administrative interface a priority. Consequently, the political-administrative interface has to be critically reviewed relative to the quality of local democracy, impact on efficient and effective service delivery, and good local governance.

scholarly journals Mechanisms to improve citizen participation in government and its administration

2001 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 216-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. Fourie
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Central Theme ◽  
The People ◽  
Problems And Solutions ◽  
The Government

Citizen participation on any level of government is timeless. The dynamics and the relationships of citizen participation on all levels are unique, due to the fact that many problems and solutions have their roots in the activities of local government and its administration. Furthermore the extension of democracy to all spheres of society and to all tiers of the administrative hierarchy, have been a central theme of the democratisation process in South Africa. The notion of "bringing the government to the people" is important, not only in strengthening civil society, but also in mobilising the population to implement the programmes of reconstruction and development necessary to transform the civil society.

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